


One Shot - A Knight's Breaking Point

by TheAngelThyla



Series: New Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow [8]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alice in Wonderland References, Angst, Down the rabbit hole, Family Loss, Loss of Parent(s), Short One Shot, Tattoos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-19
Updated: 2014-09-19
Packaged: 2018-02-18 01:06:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 511
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2329643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheAngelThyla/pseuds/TheAngelThyla
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Daniel Barnes loved both of his parents but he and his mother had a connection only a mother and son could ever even hope to have.<br/>At the news of her death, what can he do but honor her memory with the thing they had bonded over?</p><p>Set between chapters 6 and 7 of the Main Fic</p>
            </blockquote>





	One Shot - A Knight's Breaking Point

**Author's Note:**

> Set at the end of Chapter 7 where James heard the shattering glass and jumps to a few days after.  
> This is really, really painful if you're emotionally attached to Danny. Please don't hate me?

Daniel ran to the kitchen, tears streaming down his face.  
 _Nonononono..._  
He stopped in the middle of the room, fists clenched at his sides, heaving in and out air from his lungs.  
The reporter's words echoed in his head.  
 _"No survivors."_ Over and over they pounded in his ears.  
Danny blinked and suddenly the glass that had been left on the counter was shattered beneath his fist, blood pooling on the counter, though he felt no pain.  
He felt... numb.  
Slowly he sank to his knees and held his head in his hands, blood streaming down his face to mingle with his tears.  
In the other room, he could hear the cries of his sister and Lenore, causing his lungs to constrict until it was difficult to breathe.  
Danny curled in on himself, sobbing.  
An image appeared unbidden in his mind of his mother twisted impossibly under a mound of rubble, her eyes glassy and unseeing.  
Daniel felt as if he was falling. Down, down, down. Spiraling out of control into a land of madness.  
 _Down the rabbit hole,_ his mind provided.  
A memory of his mother reading to him as a child came to the forefront of his mind.  
How fitting that his favorite story was what his life had come to.  
And he had to honor her memory with it.  
  


* * *

  
  
Danny stepped through the door of the tattoo shop and into the chilly night air.  
Careful not to injure his left arm, he pulled his jacket closer around him.  
The full sleeve he had received today (frustrating his artist friend, who said he shouldn't get it all at once, especially when underage) started in the middle of his shoulder and ended at his wrist. At the top was the Queen of Hearts, an ugly monster with 6 horns, two on either side curved towards the front and one more on the top of either side of her head, and she was flanked by her card soldiers, stretching halfway around Danny's arm until they reached the Mad Hatter that reached down to his elbow, greenish skin, tall black and white checkerboard hat and a partially undone straightjacket.  
Below the Queen was the Cheshire Cat, gaunt and grey with an evil grin while sitting on his haunches. The White Rabbit sat next to him, with a gold pocket watch, gears flying out of it, partially obstructing his feet.  
The Caterpillar sat below and between the Hatter and Cheshire, hookah pipe in hand.  
And finally, Alice herself, drawn in the image of Daniel's mother when she was younger, sat on the back of his forearm, Vorpal Blade in hand and dress splattered with blood.  
Daniel began his short trek to his brother's apartment. He didn't wish to return, having only been two days since they received the news of their parents' deaths, but knew Elizabeth wouldn't sleep without knowing her brother hadn't befallen the same fate.  
Daniel stopped and stared at what he could see of the moon, partially hidden behind the clouds.  
 _I swear I'll never forget you,_ he silently vowed.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you all think.  
> I'm hoping to concentrate mainly on James and Lenore but Danny has a special place in my heart.


End file.
